The present invention relates to an apparatus for a vehicle for protection of a colliding object such as a pedestrian, which absorbs impulsive force acting on the object when the vehicle collides with it, and more particularly, it relates to an apparatus which is able to provide view for a driver when an air bag deploys on either the hood of a vehicle or the outside of its windshield during the collision with an object.
A hood air bag apparatus, which deploys an air bag on the hood of a vehicle when a sensor detects a collision with a pedestrian, is disclosed as a conventional apparatus for a vehicle for protection of a colliding object. For example, Japanese Published Patent Applications 7-125605 and 8-183422 report related arts.
The air bag is disposed in a folded configuration on the relatively forward portion of the hood so that it can deploy from the forward portion to a windshield. The air bag which deploys all over the hood protects the pedestrian from the second collision with the hood when he collides with the vehicle. The air bag, which has a thinner middle portion and a thicker backward distal portion as well as both thicker laterally distal portions, is able to serve as an effective absorber when it is deployed.
There is also a collision absorber apparatus of hood-elevated type, which springs the hood of a vehicle open so that it can serve as a cushion for protection of a colliding pedestrian. In this connection, the hood is elevated about 100 mm when a collision between the vehicle and pedestrian is detected by the sensor.
The hood air bag apparatus disclosed in Japanese Published Patent Application 8-183422, in which the thickness of an air bag is about 100 to 200 mm when it is deployed, is not able to sufficiently absorb the impulsive force acting on the pedestrian.
On the other hand, the collision absorber apparatus of hood-elevated type, whose elevated distance at the backward distal portion of hood is about 100 mm, is not able to provide a sufficient cushion to absorb the impulsive force.
These conventional techniques have a common problem that they cannot provide sufficient absorber effect during medium to high speed traveling of a vehicle because they are short of performance in terms of cushion. In order to overcome this problem, it may be one possible solution to increase the size of the air bag and the elevated distance of the hood. However, because each modification leads to an increase in the size of the apparatus, it may be difficult to adopt it, taking into account an ever-growing component density in an engine room.
There is also another problem that if the size of air bag or the elevated distance is increased, the view of a driver is blocked because the air bag or the hood confronts the windshield.
Under these circumstances, an apparatus for a vehicle for protection of a colliding object is demanded, which is able not only to absorb impulsive force acting on the object such as a pedestrian but also to securely provide view for a driver when a collision occurs.